Jesse I just love your Friday posts. I was sitting here this morning pouting about not having lost any in the last couple weeks. I forget sometimes to stop and reflect on where I would be right now if I had not lost the 101 lbs I have lost. Or where I would be if I had chosen to stop living instead of living. My WLS has saved my life and given my family their wife & mommy. I wake up now and get out of bed normally instead of feeling like i have to hoist myself up by the ceiling. I am LIVING again. Thank you for the encouraging posts. I love them and I love the reminder that you give that we should be thankful for where we are NOW. Hugs and great job hon! Everyday is Independence day now! Carol 258/157/-101

Sheila you are doing GREAT!!! Keep up the good work. I had my surgery September 8,2003. I have lost 96lbs. I have often felt like I could do better if I excercised more. But I do feel like a different person physically. I actually am not suffering the heat as much as I did in the past. (I was never cool enough during the summer) So I have found myself gardening and doing yard work that I previously only thought about doing. GOD has blessed my with a new lease on life. and I am sooo grateful. So many women in my family have died due to obesity related illnesses in their 40's and 50's. I have lost cousins and two Aunts and have other members of my family who are living with hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, joint pain etc. I was 31 and on my way to an early grave with some of the early warning signs for everything in my family tree. I decided I wanted to live past 45 past 50 and GOD willing past 60 or 70. But I want to do it healthy, not sickly and a burden to those who love me. I finally made the decision to have the surgery.... I said all of that to say this.. Some of us have lost 70lbs, I have lost over 90 and Sheila you have lost a tremendous 150lbs of excess deadly weight. Wherever we are in our weight loss, one thing is certain,we are not where we used to be! For that let us rejoice!!!! Tanisha Moreno Valley,CA

Hi all, Happy Fourth of July to all! I'm sure that all of you are celebrating your new life, as well as I am. I just have one request, of my Amos siblings. I am down about 150 LB. I was 412 LB at surgery and I am about 262 LB, at present. Is this about what I should have loss or what? I am too hard on myself. I believe that I could have loss a little more. Don't misunderstand me, I am grateful. I am thankful to God for allowing the oportunity to have a better life and to become a lot more healthy. I would just like to know what others have experienced. I feel really good and I am able to do so many more things, haven loss 150 LB. I even feel sexy. Who could feel sexy, when I couldn't breathe? Now, I am dating and having a blast! I know some of you ladies can relate. I would appreciate all of your replies. God Bless! Sheila Bullock in Chicago 412/262/150

Well I have lost about 148 lbs so far and I called a plastic surgeon and they set up a consult for Sept. 16th, I think it all depends on what they say. I hope to god I don't have to wait 2 years........I look like the freeking blob!

Patricia, I too study the pics, I look for each little detail of how Ive changed and I hate to say it but I looked better unclothed when I was 258 lbs! At least then the skin was filled out and didnt look like it was falling to my knees! Its hard to embrace that beautiful person when you constantly find flaws. I try not to but I do. My hubby god bless him has lost weight too and he looks fabulous, but at 6'6 he doesnt have the loose skin issue! Me at 5'1, well lets say that I look like the michelin mans been deflated! I hope I grow on me, I look in the mirror and dont know me anymore! Hugs girl and congrats on your loss! Love, Carol